I would maybe consider ordering the french version instead of the english one, if that would make the book available to some of the old riders. However, I suppose this is going to take a lot of time? What about the price of the french language version? The cost of shipping would remain the same, I suppose.

You are right, to make the book readable to all the old riders is a main reason behind the French edition. The French edition will be more expensive, because it is printed in smaller numbers. However, it will be shipped directly from France, so shipping is a lot less. (Shipping a 3.5 kg book overseas costs $ 48.95!) So overall, the price is a bit lower. If it happens, the book will be available in mid-2013.